


Time Will Explain

by ohthathurt (cloisterrific_221B)



Series: Only time will tell [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Coming Out, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, M/M, OT5, Reunions, The Ellen Show, minor mention of Larry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-04 04:09:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12161250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloisterrific_221B/pseuds/ohthathurt
Summary: In the year 2020, Liam Payne, sits down for an exclusive interview with Ellen on The Ellen Show, to promote One Direction's reunion album and to reveal a secret about his personal life.





	Time Will Explain

**Author's Note:**

> go easy on me, this is my first one

He bounced on his feet, rubbing his palms together, trying to settle his nerves. This was the most difficult part before any interview but he was looking forward to this one. And there was a special reason why.

A frazzled looking technician edged forward from the curtain and gave him a jerky nod, trepidation and awe in his eyes. That was his cue; with a skip, he moved forward through the curtain and a door and out into the blinding studio lights. A deafening applause was the only thing that filled his ears, followed by a shrill cacophony of screams of ‘Liam!’ and ‘We love you’.

Still humbled by the positive response of his fans, he made his way to the couch and met Ellen with a warm hug and a hello. After a lot of waving and grinning at the audience, he sat down on the white couch, screams and shouts still echoing in the studio. Ellen only continued grinning at him and looking back and forth at the audience, laughing slightly at their response.

“Well, I’m not saying I’m surprised, but it’s still a shock. I mean, I don’t think any of my guests, except for you boys, have ever received such a response,” she stated, turning to Liam who hadn’t stopped smiling the entire time.

He nodded proudly and looked out at the audience, “Honestly, I’m still quite surprised that I-we’ve still got such a devoted fan base and I mean I tell the boys all the time, I tell them, “Man, how lucky are we?” We really lucked out that we have such amazing fans who are so, so dedicated even after all these years.”

“I keep saying the only reason we’re coming back is because of you guys,” he finished, pointing out at the audience, receiving yet another round of applause and shouts and screams. He shakes his head at them, giggling quietly at some of the cute signs the fans are holding.

Ellen smiled at him,” So, you boys are coming back, you’re actually coming back after a really long hiatus right?” She directed her question at Liam who was momentarily distracted by the picture pulled up on the giant screen behind the couches. There they were: the five of them, piled onto a settee with the words ‘Coming Home’ printed on top of the picture.

But that was not what caught his attention. 

It was their expressions; Niall’s head (still brunet though, bless him) was thrown back, his mouth open in laughter at something Louis whispered in his ear. Speaking of the menace, he was leaned towards Niall whispering god-knows-what Liam doesn’t know, his other arm wrapped around a lanky lad. This certain lad who was sporting a beautiful, dimpled smile directed at the camera was the sweetheart of said band, Mr. Styles, now proudly known as Mr. Tomlinson (the other one, as Louis once smugly stated). On the other corner of the settee, sat Liam with an embarrassing but endearing expression of adoration leveled towards the most beautiful man on Earth. (Or, so he liked to claim from time to time just too see Zayn blush to the tip of his toes and shove him playfully.)

Zayn himself, was snuggled in between Harry and Liam, though leaning more towards Liam, laughing at something off camera, his tongue pressed up against his teeth, his cheeks full and healthy, sporting a scruffy beard and a very prominent eyebrow slit. (“But, Liam, c’mon that’s our thing; I’ve got to do it!”).

He smiled at the picture one last time before finally turning to Ellen, almost missing her question.

“Oh!” he exclaimed, “Yeah, we still fit onto a couch now even after all these years, I guess” Liam reveals, giggling a bit.

Ellen gave the picture a cursory glance before fixing Liam with a knowing look, “Well you all look very comfortable there, all up in each other’s personal space.”

The audience laughed at the implications but Liam was quick enough,” Well, no reason hiding it anymore, is there?” He tilted his head towards her, eyes mischievous.

She caught on,” Of course, pass on my congratulations to the newlywed Tomlinsons, please let them know that I’m so proud of them and what they’ve achieved so far,” Ellen ended on a serious note. Everyone knew what she was talking about, the coming out of Louis and Harry Tomlinson was not what anyone would call an easy feat. It was messy, drawn out and uncomfortable for everyone involved, not away from lawsuits and scandals, but eventually when everything had settled, they could be themselves again. In love and free.

A respectable applause broke out in the studio and Liam would be lying if he wasn’t misty eyed himself, so happy and proud of his friends and the hardships they had overcome throughout the years.

The moment ended and Ellen grabbed at the opportunity to direct their conversation towards the actual subject of the show. “Um, so, Liam I’ve heard, you have news too?” she questioned with a lilting voice. 

This was it. This was the reason he came here. Well that and the opportunity to promote their new album. But primarily, this was the reason that he called up his manager after a heavy, long talk with Zayn and asked to be on The Ellen Show for an exclusive interview. He chose Ellen because he knew her studio and show was a safe space and that it was the best place for the world to know: Liam was not in fact single and free, he was very happily committed and settled and married to the enigma better known as Zayn.

He smiled nervously at her and received a warm and comforting one in return. Okay, Liam here goes, he thought to himself. Revved up by a mental pep talk, he opened his mouth, “Yeah, actually. Um-well, the thing is…” Don’t fuck this up, c’mon man, Zayn is depending on you for this one, his thoughts echoed.

Ellen put him out of his misery, piping up with, “Here, let me ask you about this selfie of yours I found the other day?”

A picture displayed on the giant screen of the studio and a hush settled in the audience. It was breathtaking and shocking and endearing, and no one knew how to react.  
It was a simple selfie, Liam reclined on the numerous pillows on his and Zayn’s shared bed, hair messed up and ruffled in sleep, scruff growing out of control, eyes heavy with sleep and a content smile on his face. But what drew everyone’s attention was the face of another person in the picture. 

Head resting on Liam’s chest, eye lashes long and fluttery against his cheeks, his face calm and beautiful in sleep, was the very only Zayn Malik. 

Wrapped in a fuzzy hoodie of Liam’s and handing rest on Liam’s chest, Zayn was lost to the world of dreams, oblivious that his husband had taken a sneak selfie of the two of them in bed on a lazy Sunday, rays of sun just beginning to creep through the blinds. Liam could coo at him all day (“Stop it, Leeyum, I’m not adorable, I’m hot, babe”).

It had been this exact selfie, that he later showed to Zayn, just to tease him and enjoy all the pretend scowling that followed which was only a facade to hide his actual blush, that roused an idea in him. Zayn had stared at him a long time, after he shared his idea, and with doe-like hazel eyes fixed on him, he only murmured a "I trust you, babe". And Liam knew with that sentence, he could climb Mount bloody Everest.

Back in the studio, Liam sighed contently, the picture and memory settling something in him, something that threatened to light him on fire, something that was sitting heavy in his stomach, running through his veins like lead. Altogether, like a switch being turned off, everything quieted in him.

On autopilot, he started with,” I think I should introduce myself again. My name is Liam Malik formerly Payne, I’m a pop artist and famously in the One Direction band, I have great friends and am married to the best man in this entire world.” He finished his statement, directing it to the audience and the cameras trained on him.

Liam fixed a smile on his face, not wanting to come across as intense and worrying, but he found himself biting his lip in apprehension.

Then it happened, like an explosion, there was a gasp from the audience and what followed could only be described as thunder, as applause ripped throughout the studio, people standing up and directing their grins and watery smiles at him. Even Ellen stood up from her seat on the couch and gave a round of cursory applause, leaning in to hug him and whisper a ‘told you so’.

He sat there in shock, jaw slack and eyes wide. He couldn’t believe it, this applause, these people standing up and clapping, was for him? Him and his husband?  
Liam teared up at the sight, sniffling quietly to hold back his tears; it wouldn’t do to be a blubbering mess on national television. Oh how he wished Zayn was with him in that moment. His cellphone sat heavy in his pocket, the urge to head backstage and call him was itching in him. But he eased himself and broke out into a blinding grin.

He could hear himself repeating ‘thank you’ and ‘unbelievable’ and ‘oh my god’ over and over until everyone in the studio had their wits about them. The audience settled once again as did Ellen and Liam couldn’t stop smiling widely.

Wild horses could rip through the studio and he’d still be sat there with a dazed expression.

Zayn would laugh his arse off at some of my thoughts, Liam thought.

“Thank you all so much for such a positive response, you have no idea how much this means to me and Zayn, like honestly, I can’t tell you how nervous I was, how nervous he was yesterday. But seeing you all here today, I know I can’t be worried about a thing as long as we have you guys behind us.” Liam revealed, sincerity colouring his voice.

Ellen looked at him like a proud parent, smiling comfortingly then turned to her table to pick up their album. 

“Coming Home is out now, please give it a listen, go support the boys, One Direction is officially back and dare I say ‘out’!” Ellen finished with a flourish, waving the album around.

“Thank you so much to Liam Malik for joining us and talking to us, please stay tuned, I have a lovely little girl who wants to show you all something!”

The lights dimmed as the audience continued with their screams, this time shouting words of love and comfort to Liam. He turned and waved at the audience, ready to leave back through the door, but stopped to point at an enthusiastic fan with the best sign he had seen all day.

“Love Wins!”


End file.
